Un désir de littérature coréenne, A Desire of Korean Literature

Yonsei Professor Jeong Myeong-kyo’s Un désir de littérature coréenne (A Desire of Korean Literature), published in 2015 in France by Decrescenzo Éditeurs, is a collection of essays meant to introduce twentieth-century Korean literature to a worldwide audience. Situating Korean literature as part of the networks and cross-cultural flows of world literature, Professor Jeong brings a much needed critical and theoretical framework to bear on modern Korean works, something that has been lacking in other efforts to promote the literature internationally.

While tracing the development of Korean literature from the beginning of the twentieth century onwards, Professor Jeong highlights both its unique cultural characteristics and its universal themes that transcend national boundaries. In this way, he makes a compelling case for the appeal of Korean literature to a wider international readership.

In recognition of the importance of the book, Professor Jeong was invited to the 2016 Salon de Livre (Book Fair) in Paris, where Korean literature was spotlighted. There, he gave a lecture introducing Korean literature and held a book signing event. While in Paris for the fair, Professor Jeong also appeared on Radio France Internationale to speak about his book and Korean literature. In April of last year, Un désir de littérature coréenne was featured in the French monthly Magazine littéraire, which stressed the energy and dynamism of modern Korean literature.